Orange deputy, kids found slain

3 BODIES FOUND IN HOME

He was to appear at hearing with estranged wife

An Orange County deputy sheriff and his two young children were found dead in their Windermere-area home Monday, only hours after they failed to appear at a court hearing with the deputy's estranged wife.

Neighbors and a Circuit Court judge handling the case identified the deputy as Paul Robert Terry, a 14-year Sheriff's Office veteran. The children -- 10-year-old Elyse and 8-year-old Ian -- were living with Terry, who recently separated from his wife.

FOR THE RECORD - ********** CORRECTION OR CLARIFICATION PUBLISHED OCTOBER 12, 2005 **********An article on Tuesday's front page about Orange County Deputy Sheriff Paul Robert Terry and his two children being found dead reported incorrectly Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Barbara Miller's rank. She is a deputy sheriff. Also, because of erroneous information provided to the Sentinel, the continuation of the article on Page A11 reported incorrectly the judicial handling of a domestic-violence case involving Terry. Orange Circuit Judge Robert Evans signed an initial temporary injunction for protection against domestic violence and awarded temporary custody of the children to Terry, who had filed the complaint against his wife. Judge Bob Wattles later extended that injunction and continued to grant custody of the children to the father.*************************************************************

Authorities released few details about the deaths and would not confirm the names of the victims. It was unclear late Monday whether it was a triple murder or a murder-suicide.

"Needless to say it was a very tragic scene," said Sgt. Barbara Miller, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Sheriff's Office. "Everybody is trying to find a reason why this happened."

The gruesome scene was discovered after deputies went to the house on Butler Bay Court to check on the family about 4:30 p.m. When she was told of the deaths, the children's mother, Leigh Ann Terry, broke down in a neighbor's driveway.

"She was hysterical," said neighbor Robert Boos, a retiree who lives two doors away in the gated Windermere Club subdivision.

Orange Circuit Judge Bob Wattles said he awarded temporary custody of the children last month to Paul Terry, 45, after he filed a domestic-violence complaint against his wife. Wattles called the marital dispute "a he-said, she-said thing" but decided in favor of the father.

Paul Terry filed the complaint against Leigh Ann Terry on Sept. 23, according to court records.

"He alleged that she hit him, and he was afraid for himself and his children," Wattles said Monday night. "I believe, in this case, I granted the initial injunction to him."

Wattles said the mother had disputed Paul Terry's claims, but he gave the deputy temporary custody of the children and allowed them to remain in the family's home. Leigh Ann Terry was supposed to stay with her father.

At a hearing last week, Wattles extended the original injunction but allowed the mother visitation with the children. According to Orange Circuit Court records, Leigh Ann Terry filed for divorce Wednesday.

As far as he knew, Wattles said, the children spent time with their mother during the weekend and then went home with their father.

On Monday, the parents, their lawyers and the children were supposed to appear in court for another hearing. Everyone showed except Paul Terry and the kids. When they did not show up, Leigh Ann Terry became worried, Wattles said.

The mother said that she had gone to their school earlier in the day and that administrators told her they never came to class Monday, Wattles said.

Wattles was considering granting split custody of the children, giving the parents equal time with them. Wattles said Paul Terry was not aware of plans to split custody.

"You always try to avoid this. It's just a really tough situation," said Wattles, who plans to attend the funerals and said he expects to cry with Leigh Ann Terry.

"Nobody saw this coming," he said. "You never want to have this happen."

A neighbor on Butler Bay Court described Paul Terry as a "control freak" who was obsessed with his children and acted like a cop even when he was off duty, around neighbors.

"We don't talk to them because he was so screwy," said Carolyn Nichols, who lives next door to the Terrys' home. "This person was really not together. He frightened me."

Nichols said Leigh Ann Terry had approached neighbors for shelter because she was afraid of her husband and his access to firearms.

"She asked neighbors if she could stay with them," she said. "She was concerned he had a gun."

Paul Terry had worked for the Sheriff's Office since 1991 and made at least $48,880 a year as a uniform-patrol deputy in the agency's Sector IV. That area covers a large swath of south Orange County, south of Colonial Drive and along South Orange Blossom Trail.

Deputies in his sector spoke highly of him and were gathered around the house after the bodies were discovered in Windermere Club, a community of homes along the Windermere Country Club golf course.

The Terrys bought land in the community in 1993, according to property records, and later built a 3,088-square-foot single-story pool home they moved into in 1995.

On Monday night, police crime tape blocked off the house, which is along the driving range. In the backyard sat a trampoline, which neighbors said the children used.

"The worst thing that happens in here is a dog kills a cat, or something like that," said Robert Boos.